EP0108874B1

EP0108874B1 - Radiation-controllable thyristor

Info

Publication number: EP0108874B1
Application number: EP83108506A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi; Hiromichi Ohashi
Original assignee: Toshiba Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba Corp
Priority date: 1982-11-15
Filing date: 1983-08-29
Publication date: 1987-11-25
Also published as: CS254968B2; CS664983A2; US4595939A; EP0108874A1; CA1188820A; DE3374740D1

Description

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor rectifier and, more particularly, to a thyristor which is controlled by radiation, such as a light beam.
It is well known that a thyristor valve is preferably utilized as a rectifier which controls power transmission when used in a high power transmission system such as a DC power transmission system or the like. In this regard, persons skilled in the art have urged that the ordinary electrical trigger type thyristor, which controls the start time of conduction by an electrical triggering signal supplied to the gate electrode thereof, should be replaced by a light trigger type thyristor (photo-thyristor), such as a thyristor valve, particularly in the case of a power converting apparatus of the above-mentioned power transmission system. Such a replacement is needed, because the use of a light trigger thyristor in a high-voltage power converting apparatus, in which the capacitance and voltage have tended to increase over the years, allows countermeasures for inductive interference and electrical insulation between a main circuit and a control circuit to be easily taken; thus, it can be expected to realize an extremely small and lightweight power converting apparatus.
However, since the light energy to be used in triggering the photo-thyristor is weaker than the electrical triggering energy, it is necessary to increase the photo-sensitivity of the photo-thyristor itself (e.g., in the order of approximately several ten times larger than the gate sensitivity of the electrical trigger type thyristor) in order to effectively control the operation of the photo-thyristor. An increase in the light gate sensitivity of the photo-thyristor causes the noise-resisting property to become worse, since a malfunction will easily occur against the voltage noise having a steep leading waveform to be applied from the main circuit side such as a lightning surge or the like to the photo-thyristor. The critical off-voltage build-up rate at which a malfunction of the thyristor will not occur, even if an overvoltage such as the above-mentioned voltage noise or the like is applied thereto, is called the "dv/dt resistive amount". It has been known that it is possible to improve the dv/dt resistive amount without making the photo-sensitivity of a thyristor worse by reducing the photo-sensitive area of the photo-thyristor and reducing the interference current to be caused in this area. However, reduction of the photo-sensitive area causes the conductive range at the initial time of turn-on in an operating characteristic of the photo-thyristor to decrease; consequently, the resistive amount (which is well known as "di/dt resistive amount" to those skilled in the art) of the photo-thyristor against the on-state current having a steep leading waveform that will be caused at the initial time of turn-on will decrease. Therefore, it is one of the important technical subjects at present to develop a photo-thyristor having a high photo-sensitivity without making principal thyristor characteristics of the dv/dt and di/dt resistive amounts worse.
Prior art document US―A―4,240,091 discloses a semiconductor controlled rectifier device with small area dv/dt self-protecting means. This semiconductor controlled rectifier device comprises a plurality of stages of pilot thyristors and auxiliary emitter layers of the pilot thyristors are covered by the gate electrode of the main thyristor.
Furthermore, prior art document EP-A-0,069,308, published on January 12, 1983, describes a thyristor comprising a plurality of pilot thyristors which are arranged inside a collecting electrode. Each gate electrode of the pilot thyristors is connected to the emitter electrode of the pilot thyristor of the immediately preceding stage, and the emitter electrode of the final stage of the pilot thyristors is used commonly with the collecting electrode. Thus, in this known thyristor, the emitter electrode of the first stage pilot thyristor is not connected to the emitter electrode of the final-stage trigger pilot thyristor, and the trigger thyristor does not comprise a plurality of electrical trigger sub-pilot thyristors which are connected in parallel with one another.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved radiation-controllable thyristor device which can increase photo- sensitivity or gate sensitivity without making the principal thyristor characteristics worse.
The present invention provides a radiation-controllable semiconductor rectifier comprising: a main thyristor which is formed of an electrical trigger.thyristor having four semiconductor layers with mutually different conductivity types corresponding to a first emitter layer, first and second base layers and a second emitter layer, and which adjusts transmission of electrical power, and control means for receiving a control radiation such as light, and for controlling the operation of said main thyristor in response to said radiation, wherein said control means comprises a plurality of stages of pilot thyristors including a radiation trigger thyristor serving as a first stage pilot thyristor and having an emitter electrode and a radiation sensitive area to receive said radiation, and a plurality of electrical trigger thyristors each having emitter and gate electrodes and including second- and final-stage pilot thyristors which are serially connected so that each succeeding pilot thyristor is ignitable or turned on in response to turning on of the preceding pilot thyristor stage, said radiation-controllable semiconductor rectifier being characterized in that a collector electrode layer is formed on said second base layer in such a manner as to surround said first to final-stage pilot thyristors, and said control means comprises first conductive wire means for electrically connecting by wire-bonding said emitter electrode of said first-stage radiation trigger pilot thyristor both to the gate electrode of said second-stage electrical trigger thyristor and to the emitter electrode of said final-stage electrical trigger pilot thyristor and second conductive wire means for sequentially and electrically connecting by wire-bonding the emitter electrode of each of said electrical trigger pilot thyristor to the gate electrode of the thyristor at the next stage of each of said thyristor.
The present invention also provides a radiation-controllable semiconductor rectifier comprising: a main thyristor which is formed of an electrical trigger thyristor having four semiconductor layers with mutually different conductivity types corresponding to a first emitter layer, first and second base layers and a second emitter layer, and which adjusts transmission of electrical power, and control means for receiving a control radiation such as light and for controlling the operation of said main thyristor in response to said radiation, wherein said control means comprises a plurality of stages of pilot thyristors including a radiation trigger thyristor serving as a first stage pilot thyristor and having an emitter electrode and a radiation sensitive area to receive said radiation, and a plurality of electrical trigger thyristors each having emitter and gate electrodes and including second- and final-stage pilot thyristors which are serially connected so that each succeeding pilot thyristor stage is ignitable or turned on in response to turning on of the preceding pilot thyristor stage, said radiation-controllable semiconductor being characterized in that a collector electrode layer is formed on said second base layer in such a manner as to surround said first to final-stage pilot thyristors, each stage of said electrical trigger pilot thyristors comprises a plurality of said electrical trigger sub-pilot thyristors, which are connected in parallel with one another, and the control means comprises: first conductive wire means for electrically connecting by wire-bonding said emitter electrode of said first-stage radiation trigger pilot thyristor to the gate electrode of said sub-pilot thyristors included in said second-stage electrical trigger pilot thyristor, and second conductive wire means for sequentially and electrically connecting by wire-bonding the emitter electrodes of said sub-pilot thyristor included in each stage of said electrical trigger pilot thyristors to-the gate electrodes of the sub-pilot thyristors at the next stage of each of said thyristors.
Thus, a main thyristor of a radiation-controllable thyristor device has a plurality of semiconductor layers including four semiconductor layers corresponding to a first emitter layer, first and second base layers and a second emitter layer, which are formed one upon another and are alternately of first and second conductivity types. The second base layer has a first surface region in which the second emitter layer is formed and an exposed second surface region. The main thyristor includes a first conductive layer corresponding to a cathode electrode which is provided on the second emitter layer and with which the second base layer is caused to come into partial contact by partially penetrating the second emitter layer. A plurality of stages of pilot thyristors are provided to commonly have the first emitter layer and the first and second base layers of the main thyristor and to respectively have third emitter layers which are formed in the second surface region of the second base layer and each of which has the same conductivity type as the second emitter layer of the main thyristor.
The present invention is best understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art basic light-controllable thyristor device;
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit of the thyristor device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a plan view (not drawn to scale for clarity of illustration) of the light-controllable thyristor device which is a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view (not drawn to scale) taken along line IV-IV of the thyristor device of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit of the thyristor device of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a plan view (not drawn to scale) of a light-controllable thyristor device;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view (not drawn to scale) taken along line VII-VII of the thyristor device of Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit of the thyristor device of Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a diagram of a characteristic graph showing a mutual relationship between the minimum light-triggering power <1>^* of the light trigger thyristor which is a first pilot thyristor of the thyristor device of Fig. 6, and a resistance Rp₂ between a collector electrode and the gate electrode of the electrical trigger thyristor which is a second trigger thyristor; and
Fig. 10 is a plan view (not drawn to scale) schematically illustrating the plan structure of the thyristor device in a modified form according to the present invention.

Prior to explaining the embodiments of the present invention, a basic photo-thyristor will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. In the prior art photo-thyristor of Fig. 1, semiconductor layers 1, 2 and 3 respectively correspond to p-type emitter layer, n-type base layer and p-type base layer. A circular ring-like n-type emitter layer 4a is formed in the p-type base layer 3 to provide a pilot thyristor 5. The p-type base layer (p-base layer) 3 is exposed at the central section of the n^+- type emitter layer (n+-emitter layer) 4a of this pilot thyristor 5, and this exposed area serves as a photo-receiving section or photo-sensitive section 6. A circular ring-like metal electrode layer 7a is evaporation deposited on the n+-emitter layer 4a.
A main thyristor 8 is formed coaxially with this pilot thyristor 5 in the surface section of the p-base layer 3 around the pilot thyristor 5. Circular ring-like n-emitter layers 4b are formed in the p-base layer 3. These layers 4b are used for the main thyristor 8 and arranged concentric. They are also concentric with the above-mentioned n^+- emitter layer 4a. A metal layer 7b serving as a cathode electrode is so formed as to electrically connect these n+-emitter layers 4b and p-base layer 3. A circular ring-like dv/dt compensating electrode 9 which is connected to the electrode layer 7a through a conductor 10 is formed around the outer circumferential section of the main thyristor 8 on the p-base layer 3. An anode electrode layer 11 made of a metal such as tungsten or the like is formed on the p-emitter layer 1. A DC power source 12 is connected through a load resistor 13 between the electrodes 7b and 11. A reference numeral 14 denotes a ring-like groove formed in the surface section of the p-base layer 3.
When a light triggering signal hv of a light quantity φ is radiated onto the photo-sensitive section 6 of the photo-thyristor, a photoelectric current I_ph is caused mainly in the depletion layer region on both sides of a central junction J₂ between the n-base layer 2 and the p-base layer 3. This current I_ph flows in the lateral direction in the p-base layer 3 as shown by the broken line in Fig. 1. The photoelectric current I_ph flows through a short-circuit section 16 of the main thyristor 8 and the cathode electrode 7b to an external circuit consisting of the power source 12 and load resistor 13. Assuming that the transverse resistance of the p-base layer 3 through which the photoelectric current I_ph flows is represented by a resistor R₁ in Fig. 1, a junction J₃ between the p-base layer 3 and the n+-emitter layer 4a is biased in the forward direction due to a voltage drop V₁ across the resistor R₁. When the electric potential at an inner circumferential portion 4a' of the n⁺- emitter layer 4a where the forward bias is deepest is higher than the diffusion potential at the junction J₃, more electrons are injected from the inner circumferential portion 4a' into the p-base layer 3, turning the pilot thyristor 5 on. A turn-on current I_P flows to the external circuit sequentially through the n-emitter layer 4a, electrode layer 7a, conductor 10, electrode layer 9, p-base layer 3, short-circuit section 16, and electrode layer 7b. This current I_P serves as a gate current for the main thyristor 8. The main thyristor 8 is made conductive in response to the current I_P. It should be noted that the photo-sensitivity of the light trigger thyristor depends upon the resistor Ry, and the photo-sensitivity substantially increases with an increase in resistance of the resistor R₁.
In the case where a voltage noise having a steep leading waveform is applied between the anode electrode 11 and the cathode electrode 7b of the prior art light trigger thyristor, an interference current I_d flows over the entire surface area of the junctions J₁ and J₂ of the thyristor. An interference current. component I_d1 flowing through a junction capacitance C₁ of the central junction J₂ which locates directly under the photo-sensitive section 6 flows through substantially the same path as the photoelectric current Iph that has been mentioned previously as shown in Fig. 1. An interference current component l_d2 flowing through a junction capacitance C₂ of the circumferential junction just under the dv/dt compensating electrode 9 in the interference current I_d, further flows through another short-circuit section 16' of the main thyristor 8. This state may now be described with reference to an equivalent circuit of Fig. 2. A contact potential (barrier potential) drop V_j of a diode D₁ consisting of the n-emitter layer 4a of the pilot thyristor 5 and the p-base layer 3 may be expressed as:
V₁' and V₂' denote end-to-end voltages across resistors R₁ and R₂ of Fig. 1 (wherein, R₂ is expressed by two series resistors R_z' and R₂"). When the voltage V_j exceeds the diffusion potential (or built-in potential) across the junction J₃, the pilot thyristor 5 is dv/dt-triggered. Therefore, in this basic lighttriggerthyristor, if the resistor R₂ is made large to reduce a value of the voltage V_i, the pilot thyristor 5 will be difficult to be forwardly biased when a voltage noise is applied, whereby the dv/dt resistive amount of the pilot thyristor 5 can be improved irrespective of the resistor R₁.
However, according to a conventional photo-thyristor, there is a problem that an increase in the resistance of the resistor R₂ makes the gate sensitivity of the main thyristor 8 large and reduces the dv/dt resistive amount. As may be seen from the equivalent circuit of Fig. 2, the above-mentioned resistor R₂ is a sum of the p-base layer resistor R₂' just under the grooved portion 14 of Fig. 1 and the p-base layer resistor R₂" just under the n⁺ -emitter layer 4b of the main thyristor 8. The bias voltage across a junction J₃' formed by the n+-emitter layer 4b and p-base layer 3 is determined by R₂". Therefore, by making the grooved portion 14 deep and R₂' large to increase R₂, the photo-sensitivity of the pilot thyristor 5 can be increased without reducing the dv/dt resistive amount of the main thyristor 8. However, since the gate sensitivity of the main thyristor 8 is reduced, the main thyristor 8 will inevitably be turned on with some delay time after the pilot thyristor 5 has been turned on. Thus, an on-state current at the initial time of light turning-on is concentrated on the pilot thyristor 5, remarkably reducing the di/dt resistive amount. As described above, in a conventional photo-thyristor, the photo-sensitivity can be improved without loosing the dv/dt or di/dt resistive amount, but to a limited extent. Therefore, according to the prior art photo-thyristor of Fig. 1, it is impossible to accomplish the object of the present invention as described previously.
Referring now to Fig. 3, a light trigger thyristor is illustrated therein, which is a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional structure taken along line IV-IV of the thyristor of Fig. 3. A substantially circular discoidal semiconductor body 20 is formed by laminating a p-type semiconductor layer 22 serving as an emitter layer (p-emitter layer 22), an n-base layer 24 and a p-base layer 26. An anode electrode layer 28 made of conductive material such as metal is formed on the p-emitter layer 22. A plurality of n^+- emitter layers 30a for a main thyristor 32 are formed in the circumferential surface section of the p-base layer 26. The n⁺-emitter layers 30a are electrically connected to each other by a cathode electrode layer 34 (for the main thyristor 32) formed on the p-base layer 26. As distinctly illustrated in Fig. 3, a substantially rectangular opening 35 is formed in the central section of the cathode layer 34. A collector electrode layer 36, whose plan view is given in Fig. 3, is formed on the p-base layer 26 and in the opening 35 formed in the cathode layer 34. A plurality of (e.g., three) pilot thyristors 38-1, 38-2 and 38-3 are so formed as to be surrounded by the collector electrode 36. The first pilot thyristor 38-1 is a light trigger thyristor having a circular ring-like n+-emitter layer 30b which is formed in the substantially central surface are of the p-base layer 26 and on which an emitter electrode 40 is formed. The p-base layer 26 surrounded by the circular ring-like n+-emitter layer 30b serves as a photosensing section for receiving a light signal hv. The second and third pilot thyristors 38-2 and 38-3 which are surrounded by the collector electrode 36 and are located on both sides of the first thyristor 38-1 are electrical trigger thyristors. The n+-emitter layers 30c and 30d for the second and third pilot thyristors 38-2 and 38-3 are respectively formed, independently of each other, in the surface of the p-base layer 26 so as to have a rectangular ring-like shape. Pilot thyristor emitter electrode layers 42 and 44 made of metal are each formed on the n+-emitter layers 30c and 30d. Gate electrode layers 46 and 48 are deposited respectively on rectangular exposed regions 50 and 52 of the p-base layer 26 which are respectively surrounded by the n+-emitter layers 30c and 30d of the second and third pilot thyristors 38-2 and 38-3.
A first conductor wire 54 is provided to electrically connect the ring-like emitter electrode 40 of the light trigger thyristor serving as the first pilot thyristor 38-1 to the gate electrode 46 of the electrical trigger thyristor 38-2 serving as the second pilot thyristor 38-2. A second conductor wire 56 is provided to electrically connect the emitter electrode 42 of the second pilot thyristor 38-2 to the gate electrode 48 of the electrical trigger thyristor 38-3 serving as the third pilot thyristor. Furthermore, the emitter electrode 44 of the third pilot thyristor 38-3 is electrically connected to the emitter electrode 40 of the first pilot thyristor (light trigger thyristor) 38-1 by a third conductor wire 58. Reference numerals 60 and 62 denote anode and cathode terminals, respectively.
Fig. 5 shows an equivalent circuit of the above-described thyristor structure, including transverse equivalent resistors R₁, R₂, R₃ of the p-base layer 26 of the thyristor shown in Fig. 4 and equivalent capacitors C_i, C₂, C₃ to be placed between the p-and n- base layers 26 and 24. In Fig. 5, D, denotes a diode comprising the n⁺-emitter layer 30b of the first pilot thyristor 38-1 and the p-base layer 26. D₂ and D₃ denote diodes which comprise the n^+- emitter layers 30c and 30d of the second and third pilot thyristors 38-2 and 38-3 and the p-base layer 26, respectively.
When positive and negative voltages are applied respectively to the anode and cathode terminals 60 and 62 of the light-controllable semiconductor rectifier thus constructed, while radiating a light gate signal hv onto the light trigger thyristor 38-1 serving as the first pilot thyristor, a photoelectric current I_ph is produced in the central junction (i.e., in the substantially central region of the junction J₂ between the n- and p-base layers 24 and 26) of this first pilot thyristor 38-1. As shown in Fig. 4, this photoelectric current I_ph flows in the p-base layer 26 in the lateral direction, thereafter it flows through the collector electrode 36 into a short-circuit section 64 located between the p-base layer 26 and the cathode electrode 34 and reaches the cathode electrode 34, as shown by an arrow 66 in Fig. 4. Thus, the photoelectric current Ip_h causes the voltage drop V, across the equivalent resistor R₁ which exists in the p-base layer 26 in the region of the first pilot thyristor 38-1. This allows the n+-emitter layer 30b of the first pilot thyristor 38-1 to be forwardly biased. As the deepest potential in the above-stated forward bias potential approaches a built-in potential value across the junction J₂ between the n^+- emitter layer 30b and the p-base layer 26, the quantity of electrons to be injected from the n^+- emitter layer 30b into this p-base layer 26 rapidly increases and finally turns on the first pilot thyristor 38-1. The turn-on current of the first pilot thyristor 38-1 then flows through the conductor wire 54 into the gate electrode 46 of the second pilot thyristor (electrical trigger thyristor- 38-2, so that the second pilot thyristor 38-2 is subsequently turned on. The third pilot thyristor 38-3 is also rendered conductive in response to the turning-on operation of this second pilot thyristor 38-2. The turn-on current of the third pilot thyristor 38-3 further flows through the conductor wires 58 and 54 into the gate electrode 46 of the second pilot thyristor 38-2, and thereafter flows through the collector electrode 36 and short-circuit section 64 into the cathode electrode 34. This current serves as a gate control current of the main thyristor 32, and the main thyristor 32 is turned on in response to this current.
In cases wherein an abnormal voltage noise having a voltage waveform (with a large dv/dt value) which rapidly rises is applied between the anode and cathode terminals 60 and 62 of the above-described thyristor device, and interference current flows over almost the entire region of the p-base layer 26. Due to this interference current, potential differences V₁, V₂ and V₃ are respectively caused across each of the equivalent resistors R_i, R₂ and R₃ of the p-base layer 26 in the regions of the pilot thyristors 38-1, 38-2 and 38-3 in the same way as in the case due to the above-described photoelectric current. The voltage V₂ caused in the lateral direction in the p-base layer 26 in the area of the second pilot thyristor 38-2 is applied to the n^+-emitter layer 30b of the first pilot thyristor 38-1, since this n⁺-emitter layer 30b is connected to the gate electrode 46 of the second pilot thyristor 38-2 through the emitter electrode 40 and conductor wire 54. Therefore, the bias voltage to be applied to the n+-emitter layer 30b of the first pilot thyristor 38-1 is equal to a differential voltage V_j1 between the voltages V₁ and V₂. Because of the similar reason, the bias voltage to be applied to the emitter layer 30c of the second pilot thyristor 38-2 is a differential voltage V_j2 between the voltages V₂ and V3, while the bias voltage to be applied to the n+-emitter layer 30d of the third pilot thyristor 38-3 is a differential voltage V_j3 between the voltages V₃ and V₂. In this situation, the dv/dt resistive amounts of the first to third pilot thyristors 38-1, 38-2 and 38-3 are determined by the bias voltages V_j1, V_j2 and V_j3, respectively. When each bias voltage V_j approaches the built-in potential across the p-n junction of each pilot thyristor, the injection of electrons from the n^+-emitter layer 30a into the p-base layer 26 is rapidly activated, so that each pilot thyristor is dv/dt turned on. However, each pilot thyristor 38 will not be easily turned on, since the value of each bias voltage V_j is substantially lower than the built-in potential across the junction between the +-emitter layer of each pilot thyristor 38 and the p-base layer 26. In other words, even when an abnormal voltage having a voltage waveform with a large dv/dt value (having a steep leading waveform) has been applied to the relevant thyristor, the pilot thyristor section is prevented from being easily turned on, thereby preventing a reduction of its dv/dt resistive amount. This effect can be further and satisfactorily accomplished by suitably setting the geometrical patterns of three pilot thyristors 38-1, 38-2, 38-3 and the p-base resistance, so that the voltages V₁, V₂ and V₃ are equal to each other. In this case, since the area of the photo- sensing section of the light trigger thyristor 38-1 serving as the first pilot thyristor can easily be increased, as compared to a conventional one, the gate sensitivity of the pilot thyristor can also be improved.
According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the gate'sensitivity of each pilot thyristor without reducing the dv/dt resistive amount; and, moreover, the diameter of the photosensing section can be increased by 2 to 3 times that of a conventional one. Consequently, the gate sensitivities of the second and third pilot thyristors can be increased, resulting in reduction of concentration of the current to the first pilot thyristor, so that the di/dt resistive amount is increased. The photo-coupling efficiency of the photosensing section with a light transmission system is improved, reducing a driving current of the light emitting diode. Furthermore, this means that a remarkable improvement in photo-sensitivity is accomplished, assuming that the dv/dt resistive amounts are equivalent.
Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, a light-controllable semiconductor rectifier or thyristor device is illustrated therein. In Figs. 6 and 7, the same elements and components as those in the first embodiment (which has already been described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4) are designated by the same reference numerals, and will not be described any further for the sake of simplicity.
As distinctly illustrated in Fig. 6, the cathode electrode layer 34 (for the main thyristor 32) formed on the p-base layer 26 of the semiconductor body 20 has a cross-shaped or X-shaped opening 100. A collector electrode layer 102 having a cross or X-shape is formed in this opening 100 and on the p-base layer 26. This collector electrode 102 is spaced apart from the cross-shaped opening 100 of the cathode layer 34. The collector electrode 102 has a circular opening 104 at its central region and rectangular openings 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, and 108 at its four extending sections of the cross shape. The rectangular opening 108 is smaller than the other three openings 106. Five pilot thyristors 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, 110-4 and 110-5 are formed on the p-base layer 26 so as to be surrounded by this collector electrode 102. Namely, the light trigger thyristor 110-1 serving as the first pilot thyristor is formed on the section of the circular opening 104 of the collector electrode 102. The electrical trigger thyristors 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4 serving as the second to fourth pilot thyristors are formed on three openings 106-1, 106-2 and 106-3 of the collector electrode 102, respectively. The electrical trigger thyristor 110-5 serving as the fifth pilot thyristor is formed on the opening 108 of the collector electrode 102.
Fig. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional structure taken along line VII―VII of the thyristor device of Fig. 6. The first pilot thyristor 110-1 has a circular ring-like n+-emitter layer 112-a in the surface section of the p-base layer 26 in the circular opening 104, with an emitter electrode 114 being formed on this n+-emitter layer 112-a. The section surrounded by the circular ring-like n+-emitter layer 112-a of the p-base layer 26 corresponds to a photosensing section of the light trigger thyristor. The second pilot thyristor 110-2 includes a rectangular ring-like n+-emitter layer 112-b formed in the p-base layer 26, a rectangular ring-like emitter electrode layer 116 formed on this n+-emitter layer 112-b, and a gate electrode layer 118 formed on the region surrounded by the n^+-emitter layer 112-b in the p-base layer 26. The third and fourth pilot thyristors 110-3 and 110-4 also have the structures similar to the second pilot thyristor 110-2. The electrical trigger thyristor 110-5 serving as the fifth pilot thyristor includes an n^+- emitter layer 112-c having substantially the same size as the n⁺-emitter layer (112-b) of each of the second to fourth pilot thyristors 110-2, 110-3, 110-4, and a gate electrode layer 120 formed on the region of the p-base layer 26 surrounded by this n+-emitter layer 112-c. It should be noted that the emitter electrode of this fifth pilot thyristor 110-5 is integrally formed with the collector electrode 102 and is commonly used.
A conductor wire 122 (such as an AI or Pt wire) is provided to connect the emitter electrode 114 of the first pilot thyristor 110-1 to the gate electrode 118 of the second pilot thyristor 110-2. The emitter electrode 116 of this second pilot thyristor 110-2 is connected to a gate electrode 124 of the third pilot thyristor 110-3 through a conductor wire 126. An emitter electrode 128 of this third pilot thyristor 110-3 is connected to a gate electrode 130 of the fourth pilot thyristor 110-4 by a conductor wire 132. The emitter electrode of this fourth thyristor 110-4 is connected with the gate electrode 120 of the fifth thyristor 110-5 through a conductor wire 134. As a result of such wiring connections, the first to fifth pilot thyristors 110 are connected substantially in series, as may be seen from the equivalent circuit shown in Fig. 8, and each gate electrode of the second to fifth pilot thyristors 110-2, 110-3, 110-4 and 110-5 is sequentially and electrically connected to the emitter electrode of the pilot thyristor (first to fourth pilot thyristors) at the former stage. Thus, the pilot thyristors 110-2, 110-3, 110-4 and 110-5 at each stage receive the turn-on currents of the pilot thyristors 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4 at the respective former stages as gate control currents. They sequentially become conductive or are turned on in response to these gate currents.
In the equivalent circuit of Fig. 8, R, through R_s represent resistance components which extend in the lateral direction in the p-base layer 26 in the region of each of the first to fifth pilot thyristors 110, respectively. C₁ through C₅ designate capacitance components which exist in the section between the p- and n-base layers included in the region of each of the first to fifth pilot thyristors 110, respectively. D, through D₅ denote diode components formed due to the p―n junction in the region of each of the first to fifth pilot thyristors 110, respectively. C_M and D_M show capacitance and resistance components in the region of the main thyristor 32, respectively, in the same manner as the case of the first embodiment that has been already described. The capacitance C_M serves to feed an interference current flowing into the short-circuit section 64 of the main thyristor 32. In this drawing, A represents a photosensing section and B to F indicate pilot thyristor gate electrodes, respectively. H₁ through H_s correspond to collector electrodes 102.
When a light gate signal hv is radiated onto the light trigger thyristor 110-1 serving as the first pilot thyristor of the thyristor device constructed in such a manner as described above, a photoelectric current I_ph produced as a result of this light irradiation flows from the p-base layer 26, through the collector electrode 102 and short-circuit section 64, sequentially into the cathode electrode 34 in the same way as in the case of the first embodiment previously explained. Due to this photoelectric current I_ph' the voltage drop V, occurs across the equivalent resistor R₁ of the p-base layer 26 in the area of the first pilot thyristor 110-1 (refer to Fig. 8). The n+-emitter layer 112-a of the first pilot thyristor 110-1 is biased forwardly due to this voltage V₁. When the deepest potential in the forward bias voltage approaches the diffusion potential value across the junction between the n+-emitter layer 112-a and the p-base layer 26, the injection of electrons from the n⁺ -emitter layer 112-a into the p-base layer 26 rapidly increases, thereby turning on the first pilot thyristor 110-1. The turn-on current of this first pilot thyristor 110-1 is supplied, as a gate control current, through the wire 122 to the gate electrode 118 of the second pilot thyristor (electrical trigger thyristor) 110-2, so that the second pilot thyristor is also subsequently turned on. The third to fifth pilot thyristors 110-3, 110-4 and 110-5 are also sequentially turned on in response to this action, in the same manner as described above. The turn-on current of the fifth pilot thyristor 110-5 at the final-stage flows through the collector electrode 102 and short-circuit section 64 into the cathode electrode 34. Since this turn-on current serves as a gate control current for the main thyristor 32, the main thyristor 32 is finally turned on in response to this.
To improve the photo-sensitivity (gate sensitivity) of a thyristor, the lateral resistor R₁ of the p-base layer 26 directly under the n+-emitter layer 112-a of the first pilot thyristor 110-1 is increased, and, at the same time, the resistance value Rp (which may be expressed by Rp₂ in accordance with the second pilot thyristor) between the gate electrode 118 of the second pilot thyristor 110-2 and the collector electrode 34 is so set as to be decreased. Fig 9 shows a relationship between the minimum light-triggering power φ* of the first pilot thyristor 110-1 and the above-mentioned resistance value R_P2, and is a characteristic diagram on the basis of the data obtained by experiments performed by the. present inventors. As may be seen from the graph of Fig. 9, when the resistance value Rp₂>100 ohms (0), the minimum light-triggering power φ* rapidly increases and the photo-sensitivity reduces. This is because a part of the photoelectric current Ip_h flows into the collector electrode 102 through the n+-emitter layer 112-a, wire 122, gate electrode 118 of the second pilot thyristor 110-2, and the p-base layer 26 just under the n⁺-emitter layer 112-b, so that the voltage to reversely bias the n+-emitter layer 112-b of the second pilot thyristor occurs between this collector electrode 102 and the gate electrode 118. It is, therefore, possible to improve the photo-sensitivity by making the resistance value Rp₂ small and by reducing the reverse bias voltage to be applied to the n^+- emitter layer 112-b due to this.
The cases wherein an abnormal voltage is applied between the anode-cathode portion of this thyristor device may now be described with reference to the equivalent circuit of Fig. 8. Assuming that the density of current flowing through each of the junction capacitances C₁ to C₅ and C_M is J_d, the voltages V₁ to V₅ to be respectively caused across the resistors R₁ to R₅, in association with occurrence of the interference current due to the abnormal voltage applied, are substantially proportional to the current density J_d. Hence, this resistance component may be represented by the following equation:
The maximum values of the forward bias voltages V₁₂, V₂₃, V₃₄, V₄₅ and V₅ of the first to fifth pilot thyristors 110 are equal to the voltages across the diodes D₁ to D₅ (Fig. 6), respectively. The above bias voltages ^V ₁₂, V₂₃, V₃₄, V₄₅, V_s are respectively expressed by the following equations:

(wherein,
and

C_j: junction capacitance).

When the values of V₁₂, V₂₃, V₃₄, V₄₅ and V₅ attain the level of the diffusion potentials of each of the diodes D₁ through D_s, the injection of electrons from the pilot thyristor rapidly increases; and the pilot thyristor, of which the bias voltage has first exceeded the diffusion potential, triggers at a rate of dv/dt. In the thyristor device of Fig. 6, the values of R, to R₅ are selected so that the values of V₁₂, V₂₃, V₃₄ and V₄₅ are smaller than V₅, or are equal thereto. When V₁₂, V₂₃, V₃₄ and V₄₅ were so designed as to be equal to V₅, we obtain the following equation:
From these relationships, the relationship of
is obtained. Therefore, to satisfy the above-mentioned condition, the values of R₁ to R₅ must be selected so as to satisfy at least the relations:
As described above, it is necessary to prevent the reduction of photo-sensitivity by setting the resistance value between the gate electrode 118 of the second pilot thyristor 110-2 and the collector electrode 102 at the level of 100 ohms or less. R₂ depends upon the width of the n^+-emitter layer of the second pilot thyristor 110-2, on the other hand, the resistance value between the gate electrode 118 and the collector electrode 102 can be reduced by making the length of the n⁺-emitter layer large. Thus, it is possible to realize the conditions of R₁ to R₅ and the conditions of the resistance values between the collector electrode 102 and the gate electrode 118, as stated above, without any mutual contradiction.
On the other hand, with such a construction, the dv/dt resistive amount is determined by the p-base effective resistance R_n of the pilot thyristor 110-5 at the final-stage. When the pilot thyristors are constituted by five stages, R₅ may be determined so as to satisfy a dv/dt value of predetermined specifications. At that time, R, can be increased up to five times larger than R₅. If one desires to increase the diameter of the photosensing section to improve the photo-sensitivity of the first pilot thyristor 110-1 where the photo-sensing section exists and improve the photo-coupling efficiency with the photo-signal transmission system, it is generally necessary to make R, large. R₁ can easily be increased without sacrificing the dv/dt resistive amount, so that the photo-sensitivity and photo-coupling efficiency can be greatly improved. For example, in accordance with the experiment using the light trigger thyristor of 4 kV, when the diameter d of the photosensing section of the light trigger thyristor 110-1 serving as the first pilot thyristor equals 1.5 mmφ, dv/ dt=₁,500 V/µs and minimum light-triggering power φ*=4 mw, in a prior art example. However, in the light trigger thyristor of the 5-stage pilot thyristor, a result wherein φ*=2 mw could be derived. In addition, for the sake of comparison, when the present thyristor was applied under the same conditions wherein φ*=4 mw, the diameter of the photosensing section could be doubly improved, as compared to a conventional device, i.e. the relationship wherein d=3 mmφ applied. For comparison of the photo-signal transmission system consisting of bundle type optical fibers of 1.5 mmφ to that wherein the optical fibers are 3 mmφ, in the case wherein a light emitting diode is used as a light source, it is possible to improve the light emitting output of the light emitting diode and the photo-coupling efficiency of the bundle type optical fiber three fold or more. In every case, the driving current of the light emitting diode can be remarkably improved. Since the driving current value of a light emitting diode largely affects a life of the light emitting diode, reliability of the light trigger system can be greatly ..improved by performing the present invention. The light trigger thyristor is remarkably effective, especially when installed in a thyristor valve used in transmitting a DC power source or the like, which requires a high degree of reliability for the light trigger system. When the diameter of the photosensing section is enlarged, there are generally tendencies to increase a leakage current produced in this section and to reduce the voltage resistibility at high temperatures. However, since the leakage current flows along the same path as an interference current, the thyristor is also effective in preventing erroneous triggering due to the leakage current. Thus, it is possible to realize the thyristor having excellent forward stopping voltage characteristics at high temperatures.
Furthermore, such effects presented below are obtained owing to the collector electrodes. As illustrated in Fig. 2, in the prior art example, R, and R₂ are electrically coupled through the cathode electrode and the voltage caused across R, due to the interference current is set off by the voltage caused across R₂, thereby improving the dv/dt resistive amount. However, as described previously, if one tries to prevent reduction of the dv/dt resistive amount of the main thyristor, the di/dt resistive amount is unavoidably reduced. On the contrary, since R, to R₅ and R_M are electrically coupled through the collector electrode 102, the number of stages of the pilot thyristors can be easily increased. The current flows through the first pilot thyristor 110-1, where the photosensing section exists at the initial time of turning on, and is reduced in proportion to the number of pilot thyristors at the rear stages. Therefore, the thyristor can reduce concentration of the turn-on current at the first pilot thyristor 110-1. In addition, for the thyristor the area of the photosensing section can be easily increased without sacrificing the photosensitivity and dv/dt resistive amount. Consequently, the initial turn-on region is enlarged and the on-state current density at the initial time of turning on can be remarkably reduced. For such reasons, the thyristor can greatly increase the di/dt resistive amount, as compared to a conventional device. In accordance with the results obtained by a thyristor device made on an experimental basis, the thyristor device shown in Fig. 6 could realize a di/dt resistive amount of (dli/dt≥: 600 A), which is 2 to 3 times better than that of a conventional thyristor.
As described above, it is possible to realize a thyristor which has a high level of performance and high applicability for practical use, and which allows the di/dt resistive amount and photo- sensitivity (gate sensitivity) to be remarkably improved without adversely affecting essential characteristics, such as the dv/dt resistive amount or the like.
Fig. 10 shows a plan view of the thyristor device, which is an example of the modified form of the above embodiment (the boundary lines of the p-n junctions which can be seen between the .various electrode layers having been omitted for the sake of clarity in the drawing). This thyristor device includes a first pilot thyristor 200 consisting of a light trigger thyristor, a second pilot thyristor consisting of three electrical trigger thyristors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, and a third pilot thyristor consisting similarly of three electrical trigger thyristors 204-1, 204-2, 204-3. A ring-like emitter electrode 206 of the first pilot thyristor 200 is so formed as to have a photosensing section 207 at the central section of the p-base layer 26 (Fig. 4 or 7) of the semiconductor body 20. This emitter electrode 206 has at its peripheral portion three projecting portions 208a, 208b and 208c which extend radially and are spaced apart from each other at equal angles (i.e., at angles of 120°). Three electrical trigger thyristors 202-1, 202-2 and 202-3, which constitute the second pilot thyristor, are formed in the extending directions of these three projecting emitter electrode portions 208a, 208b and 208c. These electrical trigger thyristors respectively include emitter electrode layers 210-1, 210-2 and 210-3 each having the substantially rectangular ring-like flat shape, and gate electrodes 212-1, 212-2 and 212-3 formed on the surfaces of the p-base layer 26 (refer to Fig. 4 or 7) so as to be enclosed in these layers 210. Since the n+.emitter layer of each of these thyristors 210 is constituted substantially in the same manner as in the cases of the aforementioned embodiments, its description and drawing are omitted for the sake of simplicity. Three electrical trigger thyristors 204, each having gate electrodes 205-1, 205-2 and 205-3 constituting the third pilot thyristor section, are arranged at locations corresponding to the directions opposite to the extending directions of the three projecting portions 208a, 208b and 208c formed in the circular ring-like emitter layer 206 of the above-mentioned first pilot thyristor 200. In Fig. 10, the pilot thyristor located between the pilot thyristors 202-1 and 202-2 is numbered 204-1, and the other similar pilot thyristors are sequentially numbered 204-2 and 204-3 proceeding counterclockwise. It should be noted that each of the above-mentioned three emitter electrodes 210-1, 210-2 and 210-3 has projecting portions 214 for bonding with wires at the edge portions close to the ring-like emitter electrode 206 of the first pilot thyristor 200.
A collector electrode 220Js provided on the p-base layer 26 of the semiconductor body 20 in such a manner as to surround the pilot thyristors 200, 202 and 204. As illustrated in Fig. 10, this collector electrode 220 has three edge portions each of which branches in two directions at the locations corresponding to three pilot thyristors 204-1, 204-2 and 204-3. This collector electrode 220 serves as the common emitter electrodes for three thyristors 204 constituting the third pilot thyristor in the same manner as in the thyristor device shown in Fig. 6. The cathode electrode 34 for the main thyristor 32 is so provided as to surround the collector electrode 220 having the special shape on the p-base layer 26.
Three conductor wires (e.g., aluminum wires) 224 are respectively wire-bonded, by using a well-known wiring technology, between the emitter electrode projecting portions 208a, 208b, 208c of the first pilot thyristor and the gate electrodes 212-1, 212-2, 212-3 of three pilot thyristors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3 which are included in the second pilot thyristor 202. At the same time, three conductor wires 226 are respectively bonded between the projecting portions 214 of the emitter electrodes 210-1, 210-2, 210-3 of the three electrical trigger thyristors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3 of the second pilot thyristor and the gate electrodes 205-1, 205-2, 205-3 of the three electrical trigger thyristors 204-1, 204-2, 204-3 which are included in the third pilot thyristor 204.
The pilot thyristor components 200, 202, 204 and the main thyristor 32 are formed on the < 1 1 1> surface of a silicon wafer 20. The peripheral longitudinal directions of the n^+-emitter electrodes and collector electrodes 40 of each pilot thyristor are arranged in the directions of [01 1 1], [0 1 1 ], [1 1 0], [1 1 0], [101] and [1 0 1 of the crystallographic axis. Half of the peripheral lengths of each n+-emitter electrode and collector electrode 40 are faced in the directions of [01 1], [1 0] and [101] of the crystallographic axis, and the crystallographic axis in these directions are suitable for maintaining the conducting region at the initial time of turning on, thereby ensuring the turn-on operation. As a result, according to this modified form example, not only the above-described effect is attained but it is also possible to improve the operating characteristics. In addition, the lengths of the conductor wires to connect between the respective pilot thyristors can be shortened as compared with the foregoing embodiments, thereby improving the reliability of the device.
In the above-described embodiments, an example of the photo-thyristor has been shown. However, the present inventuon may be similarly applied to an electrical trigger thyristor consisting of a gate electrode formed in the photosensing section 27. Furthermore, the shapes and arrangement of the pilot thyristors may be determined in accordance with certain specifications. In the last analysis, a plurality of pilot thyristors may be arranged in such a manner as to be surrounded by the collector electrode formed on the p-base layer, thereby sequentially and electrically connecting the mutual n+-emitter electrode to the gate electrode of each pilot thyristor.

Claims

1. A radiation-controllable semiconductor rectifier comprising:

a main thyristor (32) which is formed of an electrical trigger thyristor having four semiconductor layers (22, 24, 26, 30a) with mutually different conductivity types corresponding to a first emitter layer, first and second base layers and a second emitter layer, and which adjusts transmission of electrical power, and

control means for receiving a control radiation such as light, and for controlling the operation of said main thyristor (32) in response to said radiation, wherein said control means comprises a plurality of stages of pilot thyristors including a radiation trigger thyristor (38-1) serving as a first stage pilot thyristor and having an emitter electrode (40) and a radiation sensitive area to receive said radiation, and a plurality of electrical trigger thyristors (38-2, 38-3) each having emitter and gate electrodes and including second- and final-stage pilot thyristors which are serially connected so that each succeeding thyristor stage is ignitable or turned on in response to turning on of the preceding pilot thyristor stage,

characterized in that

a collector electrode layer (36) is formed on said second base layer in such a manner as to surround said first to final-stage pilot thyristor (38-1, 38-2, 38-3), and

said control means comprises:

first conductive wire means (54, 58) for electrically connecting by wire-bonding said emitter electrode (40) of said first-stage radiation trigger thyristor (38-1) both to the gate electrode (46) of said second-stage electrical trigger thyristor (38-2) and to the emitter electrode (44) of said final-stage electrical trigger pilot thyristor (38-3), and second conductive wire means (56) for sequentially and electrically connecting by wire-bonding the emitter electrode (42) of each of said electrical trigger pilot thyristor to the gate electrode (48) of the thyristor at the next stage of each of said thyristors (Fig. 3-8).

2. The semiconductor rectifier as recited in claim 1, characterized in that said final-stage electrical pilot thyristor is a third-stage electrical pilot thyristor, and that said second and third-stage electrical pilot thyristors (38-2, 38-3) are located on both sides of said first-stage radiation trigger pilot thyristor (38-1) on said second base layer (26).

3. A radiation-controllable semiconductor rectifier comprising:

control means for receiving a control radiation such as light and for controlling the operation of said main thyristor (32) in response to said radiation, wherein said control means comprises a plurality of stages of pilot thyristors including a radiation trigger thyristor (200) serving as a first stage pilot thyristor and having an emitter electrode (206) and a radiation sensitive area (207) to receive said radiation, and a plurality of electrical trigger thyristors (202, 204) each having emitter and gate electrodes and including second- and final-stage pilot thyristors which are serially connected so that each succeeding pilot thyristor stage is ignitable or turned on in response to turning on of the preceding pilot thyristor stage, characterized in that

a controller electrode layer (220) is formed on said second base layer in such a manner as to surround said first to final-stage pilot thyristors (200, 202, 204),

each stage (202 204) of said electrical trigger pilot thyristor comprises a plurality of said electrical trigger sub-pilot thyristors (202-1 to 202-3; 204-1 to 204-3) which are connected in parallel with one another, and

the control means comprises:

first conductive wire means (224) for electrically connecting by wire-bonding said emitter electrode (206) of said first-stage radiation trigger pilot thyristor (200) to the gate electrodes (212-1, 212-2, 212-3) of said sub-pilot thyristors (202-1, 202-2, 202-3) included in said second-stage electrical trigger pilot thyristor, and

second conductive wire means (226) for sequentially and electrically connecting by wire-bonding the emitter electrode (210-1, 210-2, 210-3) of said sub-pilot thyristor included in each stage of said electrical trigger pilot thyristors to the gate electrodes (205-1, 205-2, 205-3) of the sub-pilot thyristors (204-1, 204-2, 204-3) at the next stage of each of said thyristors (Fig. 10).

4. The semiconductor rectifier as recited in claim 3, characterized in that said collector electrode layer (220) is formed on said second base layer (26) to surround said first-stage radiation trigger pilot thyristor (200) and said plurality of sub-pilot thyristors (202-1 to 202-3; 204-1 to 204-3) included in said plurality of stages of electrical trigger pilot thyristors.